Windows® Home Server Bible

Chapter 13. Accessing Shared Folders and Files

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Accessing shared folders

• Accessing from a Windows computer

• Mapping a drive letter

• Accessing shared folders from a Macintosh

• Accessing shared folders from Linux

In Chapter 12, you learned about Windows Home Server shared folders and how to create and manage them. In this chapter, we'll show you how to go about accessing them from your home computers.

Windows File Sharing has been around for a long time — and solutions for accessing Windows file shares from non-Windows platforms have been necessary from the start. If you happen to own a Mac or a Linux computer, we will show you how to access shared folders and files from those platforms, as well.

Accessing from a Windows PC

More than likely, you are using a Windows computer running either XP or Vista to connect to your shared folders. Windows computers have a definite advantage when it comes to accessing your Home Server shared folders, as they speak the native file sharing protocol.

When you install the Connector on a Vista or XP client, you are given two distinct ways to access shared folders from the desktop, using either the desktop shortcut or the tray icon. In addition, you can use Windows Explorer to navigate to the server or to map a drive letter to a particular shared folder. This section shows you how.

Using the tray and desktop shortcuts

The tray icon that was installed with the connector includes a menu item to access the shared folders. Right-click on the tray icon and ...